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When planning the holidays, I know we need to be concerned with having elderly vaccinated people around unvaccinated relatives. However, I have a specific question. If my 21 year old vaccinated (and boosted) son is at his vaccinated girlfriend's house on Christmas eve and there are 2 unvaccinated people there, what is the risk to my elderly mother in law the next day at my house? In other words, my mother in law won't have contact with the unvaccinated relatives but she will then be with my son and girlfriend the NEXT day. Is this potentially concerning? Or is it safe since she will not be the one in contact with the unvaccinated people?
It is potentially “safe”, but recognizing that we are referring to gradations of grey and there is no white zone (no absolute safety can be guaranteed). I assume that the unvaccinated have chosen this status and cannot be convinced to be vaccinated—as this would shift the balance toward more safety. In order to reduce some risk (which might be minor), the 21 year old son and girlfriend could get testing performed prior to their visit with grandma. This could be easily done with the rapid at-home test kits that are being sold at many pharmacies. When they visit with grandma, it is recommended to continue to wear masks, improve indoor air quality (ventilation), and maintain distance as much as possible, while trying to also enjoy each other’s company. Happy Holidays!
